System and method for sharing network resources between hearing devices

ABSTRACT

A system for enabling a hearing device wireless access to a communication network includes a first transceiver unit in the hearing device communicating according to a first communication protocol. The system also includes a server device including an input/output unit connected to the communication network and configured to communicate according to a second communication protocol. A second transceiver unit is connected wirelessly to the first transceiver unit and configured to communicate according to the first communication protocol. A translator unit interconnects the second transceiver unit and the input/output unit and is configured to translate between the first and second communication protocol. The hearing device is configured to upload and download data to and from the communication network through the server device, and the server device is incorporated in a mobile or cellular telephone.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a system and method for sharing networkresources between hearing devices. In particular, this invention relatesto a communications network enabling one or more hearing devices toaccess shared services. This invention further relates to a gatewaydevice enabling hearing devices and user's thereof to utilise the systemfor sharing resources.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Wireless communication between a pair of hearing aids and variouselectrical appliances is known from European patent application no.: EP1 460 769. This patent application discloses a mobile transceivercomprising a number of receivers receiving electrical orelectro-magnetic signals carrying audio signals. The mobile transceiverfurther comprises a prioritising module assigning a priority to audiosignals received by the receivers so as to ensure that essentialinformation is communicated before general information. In oneembodiment of the mobile transceiver comprises a positioning meansdetermining current geographic position and the prioritising module isdesigned to assign a priority value to a received audio signal accordingto determined current geographic position.

Further, German patent application no.: DE 102 22 408, discloses ahearing aid system with a radio interface enabling communication withexternal household appliances. The disclosed system enables a pluralityof hearing aid users to connect through their hearing aids to acommunication bus for individually controlling household appliancesthrough the communication bus. The hearing aids connect wirelessly tothe communication bus and receive status information from the householddevices, such as “incoming telephone call” or “heating on”. The hearingaids in addition may transmit control signals to the household devicesby depression of button on hearing aids or by vocal control.

Even though the above hearing aid systems provide extended possibilitiesfor the hearing impaired, further advances may be achieved. For example,the problem still remains in providing a wirelessly communicating moduleor unit within the limited space of a hearing aid. This problem is notaddressed in the above patent applications, and therefore the hearingaids in the context of the above referred systems still require physicaladd-on technology.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a hearingdevice system overcoming the above problems by providing a wirelesscommunication between a plurality of hearing devices and acommunications network.

A particular advantage of the present invention is the provision ofaccess to common services for hearing devices, such as updating hearingaid software with new features, accessing a multimedia event, oraccessing service information.

A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of agateway translating from a hearing devices protocol to a communicationspecific protocol and from a communication specific protocol to ahearing device protocol.

The above object, advantage and feature together with numerous otherobjects, advantages and features, which will become evident from belowdetailed description, are obtained according to a first aspect of thepresent invention by a system for enabling a hearing device wirelessaccess to a communication network, and comprising a first transceiverunit in said hearing device communicating according to a firstcommunication protocol; a server device comprising an input/output unitconnected to said communication network and adapted to communicateaccording to a second communication protocol, a second transceiver unitconnected wirelessly to said first transceiver unit and adapted tocommunicate according to said first communication protocol, and atranslator unit interconnecting said second transceiver unit and saidinput/output unit and adapted to translate between said first and secondcommunication protocol; and wherein said hearing device is adapted toupload and download data to and from said communication network throughsaid server device.

The term “a” or “an” is in this context to be construed as one or more,a plurality, or a multiplicity of parts.

Further, the term “hearing device” is in this context to be construed asa hearing aid, a headset, a headphone, an ear-level hearing device, orany combinations thereof.

Additionally, the term “server device” is in this context to beconstrued as a personal device for handling a single hearing device aswell as a shared device for handling a number of hearing devices. Thatis, the server device may be a body worn mobile device or a stationarypublic device.

The system according to the first aspect of the present inventionprovides further advances in communication possibilities for hearingdevices and, in particular, for hearing impaired using hearing devices.The system enables a user of the hearing device to access and downloaddata from, for example, the Internet or a local area network. Thus thecommunication network may comprise a wired or wireless telephonenetwork, such as public switched telephone network (PSTN), global systemfor mobile communication (GSM), enhanced data GSM environment (EDGE),digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT), a computer network,such as dedicated line, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan areanetwork (MAN), wide area network (WAN), an inter-network (e.g. theInternet), a media network, such as a cable or satellite television orradio network, or any combination thereof. Thus the communicationnetwork may advantageously comprise a wide variety of networkcompositions, which enable audio as well control communication to thehearing device.

The data according to the first aspect of the present invention maycomprise a data package, such as digital data configured in atransmission block, a data packet, a data parcel, datagram, and thelike. The data package may have a first configuration for thecommunication between the first and second transceiver units and asecond configuration for the communication on the communicationsnetwork.

The data package according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay comprise a header section comprising routing and transmissioncontrol data, such as transmitting and receiving addresses, and a datasection comprising data payload. Hence the data package may beself-contained, independent entity of data carrying information to berouted from the hearing device to the server device or from the serverdevice to the hearing device without reliance on earlier exchanges.

The wireless communication between the first and second transceiverelements may be implemented by capacitive or inductive coupling. Thewireless communication may further be implemented using a modulationtechnique, a multiplexing technique, a coding technique, or anycombination thereof. The wireless communication may comprise frequencymodulation (FM), amplitude modulation (AM), code-division multipleaccess (CDMA), phase shift keying (PSK), or any combination thereof. Thefirst and second transceiver elements may comprise a coil antenna, so asto provide means for communicating inductively between a coil antenna ofthe first transceiver element and a coil antenna of the secondtransceiver element.

The first communication protocol according to the first aspect of thepresent invention may comprise Bluetooth, CDMA protocol, proprietarywireless link protocol, or any combination thereof.

The communication between the first and second transceiver elements maybe accomplished in a high frequency range, such as between 800 MHz to 3GHz. Thus the first and second transceiver element may each comprise amodulator and a demodulator adapted to transform data to high frequencysignals communicated between the first and second transceiver. The firstand second transceiver element may further each comprise a CODEC adaptedto generate said data package. The term “CODEC” is in this context to beconstrued as an encoder/decoder and/or a compressor/de-compressor.

The second communication protocol according to the second aspect of thepresent invention may comprise CDMA, stream control transmissionprotocol (SCTP), telephone system's signalling system 7 (SS7),transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), serial lineInternet protocol (SLIP), point-to-point protocol (PPP), user datagramprotocol (UDP), Internet control message protocol (ICMP), interiorgateway protocol (IGP), exterior gateway protocol (EGP), border gatewayprotocol (BOP), or any combination thereof. Further, the secondcommunication protocol may comprise Bluetooth, I²C, proprietary wirelesslink protocol, or any combination thereof. Hence the secondcommunication protocol may encompass the task of handling all requirednetwork operations being general, telephone-related, computer-related,or any combinations thereof, such as IP telephony.

The server device according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay comprise memory element adapted to buffer said data to be up- anddownloaded on said communication network. The server device may compriseaccess to a plurality of service providers in the communication network.The service providers advantageously provide all types of services forthe hearing device users. For example, the service providers may provideupdated hearing aid software with new features, access to a multimediaevent, access service information, or any combination thereof. Inaddition, the server unit may comprise access to a telephone, such as amobile or cellular telephone or a wired PSTN telephone, a computer, apersonal digital assistant, a television, or any combination thereof.

The server device according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay further comprise a location identifying element adapted to identifypresent location of the server device. The location identifying elementmay thus advantageously identify a location of the server device, whichlocation may include associations to particular hearing device programs.The term “program” is in this context to be construed as a setting ofthe hearing device determining the gain transfer function. The gaintransfer function may be established according to a particular hearingloss or impairment or may be established according to a particularacoustic environment. Hence the location identifying element may assistin selecting an appropriate program for a hearing aid communicating withthe server or, in fact, to a plurality of hearing aids communicatingwith the server device.

The server device according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay be incorporated in a mobile or cellular telephone. Thus the locationidentifying element may utilise triangulation for determining locationof the server device. Alternatively, the server device may comprise aglobal positioning system (GPS) module adapted to determine the locationof the server device.

The server device according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay be fixed at a permanent location, such as an airport, an aeroplane,a bus, a train, a cinema and the like. Thus the server device may beutilised for controlling one or more hearing devices in the samelocation with common external noise reduction schemes. That is, theserver device may ensure that hearing aids in an aeroplane arecontrolled so as to reduce the noise experienced by the wearer of thehearing device. Similarly, the server device may also provide audio fromthe in-flight video as well as service messages to the wearer of thehearing device.

The hearing device according to the first aspect of the presentinvention may further comprise an acoustic environment detector adaptedto generate an environment signal to be forwarded as data payload in adata package to an environment service provider in the communicationnetwork. The environment signal may comprise amplitude and frequencydata relating to acoustic background noise of location of hearingdevice. The environment service provider may comprise a controllerelement adapted to generate an environment compensation signal to beforwarded as data payload in a data package to the hearing device. Thehearing device may be adapted to utilise the environment compensationsignal for increasing signal-to-noise ratio of an audio signal presentedto the user of the hearing device. The environment compensation signalmay comprise a phase shifted version of the environment signal. Hencethe environment service provider may utilise the environment signal forgenerating a phase shifted copy to be incorporated in the audio signalpresented to the user of the hearing device so as to mask the acousticbackground noise. The environment service provider according to thefirst aspect of the present invention may comprise an environment bankmemory adapted to store a number of environment compensation signalseach associated with a predefined noise situation.

The server device according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay incorporate the environment service provider. Thus the server devicemay establish a stand alone service for hearing devices connectingthereto. Further, the server device may comprise a broadcasting elementadapted to broadcast to any hearing devices in a predefined area of thelocation of the server device. Thus the environment compensation signalmay be utilised for reducing background noise, for example, in anaeroplane for passengers wearing hearing devices.

The above objects, advantages and features together with numerous otherobjects, advantages and features, which will become evident from belowdetailed description, are obtained according to a second aspect of thepresent invention by a server device adapted to operate in the systemaccording to the first aspect of the present invention.

The server device according to the second aspect of the presentinvention may incorporate any features of the system and in particularthe server device according to the first aspect of the presentinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of thepresent invention, will be better understood through the followingillustrative and non-limiting detailed description of preferredembodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appendeddrawing, wherein:

FIG. 1, shows a system according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2, shows a system according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description of the various embodiments, reference ismade to the accompanying figures, which show by way of illustration howthe invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that otherembodiments may be utilised and structural and functional modificationsmay be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1, shows a system according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention, which is designated in entirety by reference numeral 100. Thesystem 100 comprises one or more wearers of hearing devices 102 in adefined area 104.

The hearing devices are designated in entirety by reference numeral 106and are shown in FIG. 1 as three sets of hearing devices. The hearingdevices 106 may be headsets, headphones, hearing aids, or anycombination thereof.

Each of the hearing devices 106 comprises an antenna, which may be aninductive coil 108 or a dipole antenna 110. The antenna 108, 110 enablethe hearing devices 106 to receive and transmit signals with a server112. The server 112 enables each of the connecting hearing devices 106to access a communications network 114, which may comprise a computernetwork, media network, telecommunications network, or any combinationsthereof.

The server 112 comprises one or more antennas 116, 118 for transmittingand receiving data from the hearing devices 106, which data areconfigured according to a wireless proprietary protocol especiallydeveloped for hearing devices in particular hearing aids. The server 112comprises a gateway unit 120 for converting data from the antennas fromthe wireless proprietary protocol to a general communications protocol.The general communications protocol may comprise CDMA, SCTP, SS7,TCP/IP, SLIP, PPP, UDP, ICMP, IGP, EGP, BGP, Bluetooth, I²C, a secondproprietary protocol, or in fact any combination thereof.

The term “gateway” is in this context to be construed as a translatortranslating from one transmission configuration and/or dataconfiguration to another.

The server 112 further comprises an input/output (I/O) unit 122 forconnecting to the communications network 114. The I/O unit 122 thus mayconnect to a wide variety of services in the communication network 114,such as a public switched telephone 124, a cellular or mobile telephone126, or a computer 128. In addition the communications network 114comprises access to a plurality of services provided by serviceproviders 130. The service provides 130 comprise an environment serviceprovider 132 for reducing background noise experienced by the hearingdevices 106.

The hearing devices 106 comprise acoustic environment detectorsgenerating environment signals forwarded as a data payload in a datapackage to the environment service provider 132 in the communicationnetwork 114. The environment signals comprise amplitude and frequencydata relating to acoustic background of hearing devices 106.

Further, the I/O unit 122 of the server 112 connects to a microphone134, which may be applied as a further acoustic environment detector forcommonly determining the acoustic environment of the defined area 104.The server 112 generates an environment signal based on the acousticenvironment of the defined area 104, and forwards the environment signalas a data payload in a data package to the environment service provider132.

The environment service provider 132 generates an environmentcompensation signal based on the environment signals, which environmentcompensation signal is forwarded as a data payload in a data package tothe hearing devices 106. The hearing devices 106 utilise the environmentcompensation signal for increasing signal-to-noise ratio of an audiosignal presented to the wearers 102 of the hearing devices 106.

The environment compensation signal comprises a phase shifted version ofthe environment signal. Hence the environment service provider 132 mayutilise the environment signal for generating a phase shifted copy to beincorporated in the audio signal presented to the wearers 102 of thehearing devices 106 so as to mask the acoustic background noise.

In a further embodiment of the present invention the microphone 134 isused for categorising the acoustic environment of the position of themicrophone 134. The server 112 uses this categorisation for broadcastinga control signal to the hearing devices 106 in the defined area 104.

The server 112 further comprises a memory 136 wherein the server 112stores signal processing settings controlling the signal processing ofthe hearing devices 106. The server 112 may thus firstly determine anacoustic environment of the defined area 104 and broadcast a setting tothe hearing devices 106, which setting processes the sound in accordancewith the acoustic environment.

Similarly, the communications network 114 comprises a storage provider138 operable by the server 112 to store and communicate an appropriatesetting to the hearing devices 106.

FIG. 2 shows a system according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention and designated in entirety by reference numeral 200. Elementsdescribed with reference to FIG. 1 having an identical function aredesignated with the same reference numeral in FIG. 2.

The system 200 comprises a hearing device 202 communicating with apersonal server 204 through antennas 108, 118. The personal server 204further comprises a second antenna 206 enabling wireless communicationwith a wireless access service provider 210 connecting to thecommunication network 114. The wireless access service provider 210communicates with the personal server 204 through an antenna 212. Thepersonal server 204 has a size, which makes it particularly advantageousas a body-worn device.

The wireless access service provider 210 thus enables the hearing deviceaccess to a wide variety of service provided on the communicationnetwork 114. For example, the hearing device may receive audio streamsof travel information, position data, or media content (e.g. radio orsound track of television).

As in the server 112, described with reference to FIG. 1, the personalserver 204 comprises a memory 136, which may be utilised storing hearingdevice 202 specific data such as environmental acoustic data loggedduring a period, and the wearer's reactions to the hearing device'sselections of programs in certain acoustic environments. Further, thepersonal server 204 comprises a processor 214 adapted to assist and/orsupport a signal processor of the hearing device in calculationsperformed on the environmental acoustic data.

The personal server 204 comprises a user interface (UI) 216 allowing thewearer of the hearing device 202 to control the hearing device 202 andallowing the wearer to control access to the communication network 114.The UI 216 may comprise a display and keypad for displaying eitherservices provided by the service providers 130 in the communicationnetwork 114 or explanatory information from the operation of the hearingdevice 202.

The second antenna 206, in a further embodiment of the presentinvention, connects directly to cellular or mobile phone 126 throughantenna 218. In this embodiment of the present invention, the personalserver 204 utilises the cellular or mobile phone 126 for accessing thecommunication network 114.

In a third embodiment of the present invention, the personal server 204is incorporated in the cellular or mobile phone 126, thus enablingaccesses to the service providers 130 or devices 124, 128 connecting tothe communication network 114 by means of the cellular or mobile phone126. The cellular or mobile phone 126 incorporates all the features ofthe server 112 and personal server 204, described with reference to thefigures.

The second and third embodiments of the present invention advantageouslymay thus provide a wearer of a hearing device such as a hearing aid withpositioning information, audio streaming etc. In addition, the secondand third embodiment may provide an improved user interface for a wearerof a hearing device such as a hearing aid since the wearer is presentedwith a display and keypad, either directly on the personal server 204 orindirectly on the cellular or wireless phone 126.

The second and third embodiments of the present invention may furtheradvantageously utilise the microphone 134 as a conference microphonerecording the voice of the wearer and transmitting the voice to otherwearers of hearing devices.

Finally, the first, second and third embodiments of the presentinvention may support the hearing devices 106 in signal processing, forexample, in accordance with a hearing impairment, and in calculation offeatures such as directionality of acoustic signal detected by thehearing devices 106 or noise reduction schemes.

1. A system for enabling a hearing device wireless access to acommunication network, and comprising: a first transceiver unit in saidhearing device communicating according to a first communicationprotocol, an acoustic environment detector in said hearing deviceconfigured to generate an environment signal; a server device includingan input/output unit connected to said communication network and adaptedto communicate according to a second communication protocol, a secondtransceiver unit connected wirelessly to said first transceiver unit andadapted to communicate according to said first communication protocol, atranslator unit interconnecting said second transceiver unit and saidinput/output unit and adapted to translate between said first and secondcommunication protocol, a controller element configured to generate anenvironment compensation signal based on the environment signal, andwherein the hearing device is configured to select programs in certainacoustic environments based on the environment compensation signal,wherein said hearing device is adapted to upload and download data toand from said communication network through said server device.
 2. Asystem according to claim 1, wherein said communication networkcomprises a wired or wireless telephone network, a computer network,media network, or any combination thereof.
 3. A system according toclaim 1, wherein said data comprises a data package.
 4. A systemaccording to claim 3, wherein said data package comprises a headersection comprising routing and transmission control data, and a datasection comprising data payload.
 5. A system according to claim 1,wherein said communication network comprises connections to a pluralityof service providers in said communication network.
 6. A systemaccording to claim 5, wherein said service providers are adapted toprovide at least one of types of services for the hearing device users,including updated hearing aid software with new features, access to amultimedia event, access service information, and any combinationthereof.
 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said communicationnetwork further includes connections to a telephone, a computer, apersonal digital assistant, a television, or any combination thereof. 8.A system according to claim 1, wherein said server device furthercomprises a location identifying element adapted to identify presentlocation of the server device.
 9. A system according to claim 1configured for updating hearing aid software of the hearing device withnew features.
 10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said serverdevice further comprises a memory configured to store environmentalacoustic data and actions of a wearer of the hearing device.
 11. Asystem according to claim 1, wherein said server device is incorporatedin a mobile or cellular telephone.
 12. A system according to claim 1wherein the server device comprises a processor adapted to assist and/orsupport a signal processor of the hearing device in calculationsperformed on the environmental acoustic data.
 13. A system for enablinga hearing device wireless access to a communication network, andcomprising: a first transceiver unit in said hearing devicecommunicating according to a first communication protocol, an acousticenvironment detector in said hearing device configured to generate anenvironment signal; a server device including an input/output unitconnected to said communication network and adapted to communicateaccording to a second communication protocol, a second transceiver unitconnected wirelessly to said first transceiver unit and adapted tocommunicate according to said first communication protocol, a translatorunit interconnecting said second transceiver unit and said input/outputunit and adapted to translate between said first and secondcommunication protocol, a controller element configured to generate anenvironment compensation signal based on the environment signal, whereinsaid hearing device is adapted to upload and download data to and fromsaid communication network through said server device, wherein saidserver device comprises a broadcasting element configured to broadcastsaid environment compensation signal to any hearing devices.
 14. Asystem according to claim 13 wherein the communications networkcomprises a storage provider operable by the server to store andcommunicate an appropriate setting to the hearing devices.